Baylor football player named Big 12 Player of the Week after win over KSU
With just 31 seconds left on the game clock, with Baylor trailing 34-32, freshman kicker Connor Hawkins stepped out onto the field for one of the toughest kicks of his young career. Hawkins, from 53-yards out, nailed the game-winning kick on Saturday to beat Kansas State, 35-34.
The Bears' defense would allow KSU to drive the field in the final seconds to attempt a field goal of its own, but Cooper Lanz would get through the line and block the Wildcats' go-ahead field goal.
Following his long, game-winning kick, Hawkins was named the Big 12's special team player of the week.
Press release below:
Baylor football redshirt freshman kicker Connor Hawkins has been named the Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Week, as announced Monday by the conference office.
Hawkins delivered a game-winning 53-yard field goal in BU's thrilling 35-34 victory over Kansas State on Saturday, marking his second game-winning kick of the 2025 season. He also connected on a 30-yard attempt and was a perfect 3-of-3 on extra points, accounting for nine points for the third time in 2025.
With just 31 seconds remaining in the ballgame and the Bears trailing by two points, Hawkins stepped up after a pair of timeouts by each team and split the uprights from long range. The 53-yarder tied for the longest made field goal by a Baylor player in McLane Stadium history, joining Hawkins' own make from just two weeks ago against Arizona State and an Isaiah Hankins 53-yarder on Sept. 2, 2023, vs. Texas State. The kick also ties for the eighth-longest by a BU player in program history.
For the year, Hawkins is 7-of-8 on field goal attempts, including a perfect 5-of-5 mark from within 40 yards. The Liberty Hill, Texas, native is also 27-of-27 on PAT attempts this season and an unblemished 32-of-32 on PAT attempts in his career.
The honor marks Baylor's third Special Teams Player of the Week award of the 2025 season and 25th all-time. Hawkins is one of 18 different Bears to win the award and the seventh different place kicker, joining Ryan Havens (2005), Aaron Jones (2011), Chris Callahan (2014), Connor Martin (2017), John Mayers (three times, 2019; once, 2020), and Isaiah Hankins (2023, 2024).
BU's six weekly Big 12 awards through the first six weeks of the season are its most since setting a program record with 10 recognitions during the 2019 campaign.
BAYLOR FOOTBALL 2025 BIG 12 PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Oct. 6 – Connor Hawkisn (Special Teams)
Sept. 29 –Sawyer Robertson (Offensive)
Sept. 15 –Palmer Williams (Special Teams)
Sept. 8 –Connor Hawkins (Special Teams, Freshman)
Sept. 8 –Sawyer Robertson (Offensive)
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